>> tonight, assault on aleppo. the assad regime launches a full-scale attack on rebel forces in syria's largest city. elizabeth palmer is with the refugees pouring into lebanon. mitt romney arrives in israel for a visit that could impact the campaign here at home. jan crawford has the latest on that. ballot battle in pennsylvania. elaine quijano lays out the stakes in the court fight over the state's new voter i.d. law. and meet the new bond girl. >> good evening, mr. bond. >> mark phillips recaps the opening olympic ceremony that put her majesty, the queen, in the middle of the action.

captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" >> good evening. i'm nancy cordes. the civil war in syria has moved into the country's largest city. government forces are staging a full-scale attack on rebel fighters in aleppo, the nation's commercial heart and a strategic prize for both sides. elizabeth palmer is on the syrian help lebanese border tonight with more. >> reporter: the opposition fighters in aleppo are, for the most part, lightly armed. and no match for the government's heavy artillery or helicopter gunships. an activist video shows once again, it's terrified civilians who are dying in the cross-fire. thousands of residents saw this battle coming and fled days ago into the countryside or toward swelling refugee camps in turkey. across the region, whole families have now been stranded by the violence in tents,

abandoned buildings, or in this case, forced to camp in a lebanese school, empty for the summer vacation. is one of those mattresses yours? khaled is nine. is there one for each member of your family? >> no. >> reporter: his mother, samira, says they've left their homes behind but not the grisly memories. "we saw people killed by shelling," she says. "and also tortured to death." in all, according to the united nations, over 120,000 refugees have spilled out of syria in every direction-- to turkey, iraq, jordan and lebanon. in northern lebanon, just a shallow valley away is syria, and syrian troops hiding among the trees. occasionally they take pot shots into the lebanese town.

his boys dream of going back to join the syrian rebel fighters. how do you stop them from leaving? "we must do our best to stop them," he says, "because if they go, they are going to die." elizabeth palmer, cbs news, lebanon. >> the most recent estimate by the brookings institution is that one in 20 syrians have been forced from their homes by the fighting. we went to neighboring lebanon where hospitals are caring for the wounded, and even though they're now out of harm's way, most did not want us to use their names or show their faces. about 20 miles from the syrian border, 19 refugees at this small lebanese hospital say they have just one wish-- >> she wants to see the end of the criminal assad. >> shot while fleeing her

village on a motorbike, this 24-year-old mother is now partially paralyzed. she told our producer, christina ruffini, that seeing assad dead would ease her pain. >> when do you think this will be over? >> very soon. ab-radah was hit by a rocket while trying to rescue his cow. the wounds in his stomach and hip will heal but his eyesight may not come back. he, too, hopes for the end of what he calls assad's criminal regime, but he, like the other painters here, are the exception. many of syria's injured bleed to death before they ever reach medical care according to this syrian doctor who says he fled a makeshift hospital in the besieged city of holmes. he tells us almost everyone with medical training has left. in tripoli, a city of half a million, 20,000 syrians have

sought refuge according to opposition sources. this woman waited more than a year before crossing the border with her mother, sister, and seven children, including two with special needs. all of them now live in one room in a row of storefronts occupied by refugees. "i can't stand living far away from home," she says. "even if the regime does not fall, i'm thinking about going back because it's my home." she said she's still proud to be a syrian and that if her generation does not topple assad's dictatorship, perhaps her children's generation will. staying overseas now, mitt romney arrived in israel tonight, the second leg of his foreign tour. president obama's challenger is hoping for a warmer reception there than he got in london where his comment about britain's olympic readiness caused a bit of an uproar. our political correspondent jan crawford is traveling with

mr. romney. >> reporter: romney arrived in israel tonight and will meet tomorrow with senior israeli officials including president shimon peres and prime minister benhamin netanyahu, with whom romney calls an old friend. the high-stakes trip is a chance for romney to show americans he can handle complex foreign policy matters and also to showcase his support for patrol to jewish voters back home. from day one of his campaign, romney has been sharply critical of the president's policies on israel and his approach to iran. >> he's treating israel the same way so many european countries have-- with suspicion and distrust and an assumption that israel is somehow at fault. >> reporter: that kind of language strikes a chord with some israelis, including netanyahu's, whose relationship with mr. obama at times be has seemed strained. it also could resonate with jewish voters in the u.s., a key constituency in swing states like ohio and florida. in 2008, president obama won 78% of the jewish vote.

a june gallup poll has his support down to 68%. but the president isn't ceding any ground. yesterday, he signed a bill to strengthen u.s.-israeli military cooperation with an additional $70 million to help expand the protection of short-range rocket defense systems. and earlier in the week, the president's counter-terrorism adviser, john brennan paid a visit here. leon panetta arrives tuesday. romney has insisted he will stand stronger and taller and indirectly criticized the president for failing to visit patrol in his first term. >> in president my first foreign trip will not be to cairo or priadd or an car ait will be to jerusalem. >> reporter: now, romney is going to be walking a pretty fine line during his visit here. he has said repeat will he will not be criticizing president obama while he's on foreign soil. instead, nancy, his advisers say he will be stressing the common bond between the united states and israel and the need for a

strong partnership between the two countries. >> jan crawford in jerusalem tonight. thank you. this week saw the start of a trial in pennsylvania over the state's new law requiring voters to present a photo i.d. pennsylvania is one of 18 states to adopt such a law. supporters say it prevents fraud while opposers say it's a cover of purging the roles of minorities. >> i think it's my right to vote. that's the way i feel about it. >> reporter: 93-year-old viviette applewhite has been voted in presidential elections since 1944. in the 1960s, she once matched for voting rights with martin luther king. but under pennsylvania's new voter i.d. law, she may not be able to vote in november. she's among a few hundred thousand registered voters, according to estimates by pennsylvania officials, who don't have an acceptable photo i.d. what about a drfers. >> i've never driven a car in

my, never wanted to. >> reporter: because her name on her birth certificate isn't applewhite she has been unable to get a government issued iep of i.d. applewhite believes photo i.d., approved by a republican legislature and governor, is aimed at suppressing the votes of minorities who lean democratic and turned out in record numbers for president obama in 2008. >> i'm running to change washington in a fundamental way. >> they don't want him in there, and they're trying to get him out. they will get him out because if the black people don't vote for him, he's crippled. >> reporter: as evidence opponents point to recent comments by the republican leader of the state legislature. >> voter i.d., which is going to allow governor romney to win the state of pennsylvania, done. >> reporter: since 2011, nine other states have passed photo i.d.positive laws, aimed at stopping voter fraud.

kansas secretary of state k ris kobach, told a panel the number of people lacking proper i.d. is overstated. >> we had this law in effect and so far about one-tenth of 1% of voters have shown up without a voter i.d.. >> still, in the past five years, kansas has prosecuted only a hand full of voter fraud cases, pennsylvania, none. which is why christopher broach, an election judge in one pennsylvania precinct, doesn't pran on enforcing the law. you don't believe voter impersonation is a problem? >> i don't believe it's ever been a problem. >> so what is this really about? >> i think it's about suppressing vote and violate's people's civil rights. >> reporter: viviette applewhite thought those rights were settled long ago. >> it upsets me. it really does. the trial to stop pennsylvania's photo i.d. law is expected to last another week but even after

the judge decides, appeals could last beyond the elections. >> and several other states facing lawsuit as well. elaine, thank you very much. 11 people who were wounded in the aurora, colorado, theater shooting remain hospitalized tonight, five of them in critical condition. and there were more funerals today for some of the 12 who died, including alex teves from phoenix arizona, and air force staff srlg jesse childress, who was 29 yearsole one of three service men killed. in springfield, ohio, hundreds attended the funeral of 27-year-old matt mcquinn who threw himself over his girlfriend in that theater to protect her, and 24-year-old jessica ghawi, who dreamed of being a sports broadcaster was remembered in her hometown of san antonio. coming up, the summer olympics begin in london. we'll take you there. and look back at the beijing olympics four years ago. and in the face of more severe storms, a call for tougher building codes. those stories when the cbs

evening news continues. i was afraid you'd have some cut-rate policy. [ kyle ] nope, i've got... [ voice of dennis ] ...the allstate value plan. it's their most affordable car insurance -- and you still get an allstate agent. i too have... [ voice of dennis ]...allstate. hal hal are you in good hands? welwell helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain,

as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or if you have any allergic reactions such as rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a 30-tablet free trial. [ crunches ] mmm. ♪ [ male announcer ] pringles... bursting with more flavor. [ crunch! ] is non-stop to seattle? just carry preparation h totables. discreet, little tubes packed with big relief. from the brand doctors recommend most by name. preparation h totables. the anywhere preparation h.

bj/ñ preparation h totables. sleep in my contacts. relax... air optix® night & day aqua contact lenses are approved for up to 30 days and nights of continuous wear, so it's okay to sleep in them. visit airoptix.com for a free 1-month trial. diarrhea, gas or bloating? get ahead of it! one phillips' colon health probiotic cap a day helps defend against digestive issues with three strains of good bacteria. hit me! [ female announcer ] live the regular life.

phillips'. >> meteorologists have now confirmed that tornadoes did in fact hit western new york and pennsylvania during this week's violent and damaging storms. but such severe weather doesn't have to be as destructive anymore. mark strassmann explains why. >> this was kind of the aisle that we all went down. >> reporter: mike hallowell manages the lowes in sanford, north carolina, rebuilt after a tornado's direct hit leveled the store last year. >> everyone out there way! >> reporter: the e-f-3 tornado, packing winds of 165 miles per hour, collapsed the building's facade and three-fourths of the roof. 100 customers and employees sprinted for cover. no one was killed. >> when i was right about this

area right now, you know, i was looking back and the roof was literally peeling off behind me. >> reporter: that disaster was another example of the need for construction standards that can stand up to severe weather. watch this test in the south carolina research hangar. two commercial buildings are battered by 100 fans, blowing 135-mile-per-hour winds, equal to a category 2 hurricane. the building on the left, common in america's strip malls, collapses. the one on the right, with identical materials but built to higher wind-resistant standards, holds up. >> make it strong. >> reporter: julie rochman is c.e.o. of the insurance institute for business and home safety. she says hurricane andrew's 1992 strike on south florida, a $26 billion disaster, was a wake-up call. >> when andrew came along and threw roofs back and opened buildings up, we could actually see how those buildings failed very sifdly. thing that had gone wrong

because there was nobody enforcing the codes. >> reporter: the institute recently rated building codes in 18 hurricane-prone state from texas to maine. florida and virginia earned the highest scoaz, in the 90s out of 100, mississippi the lowest, 4 out of 100. >> a lot of these states do not have statewide building codes. in some places the contractors who do work on your home aren't even license. >> reporter: rochman says higher standard cost very little, on average, 5% more in construction costs. >> not a lot more money. a lot more safety. >> reporter: rebuilding haul's store coast lowes $10 million. one quarter of businesses never reopen their doors after a disaster. >> still to come, a return to the bird's nest of the beijing olympics. my first thoughts were about my wife, and my family.

i have the most common type of atrial fibrillation, or afib. it's not caused by a heart valve problem. i was taking warfarin, but my doctor put me on pradaxa instead to reduce my risk of stroke. in a clinical trial, pradaxa® (dabigatran etexilate mesylate) reduced stroke risk 35% better than warfarin. and unlike warfarin, with pradaxa, there's no need for regular blood tests. that's really important to me. pradaxa can cause serious, sometimes fatal, bleeding. don't take pradaxa if you have abnormal bleeding and seek immediate medical care for unexpected signs of bleeding, like unusual bruising. pradaxa may increase your bleeding risk if you're 75 or older, have a bleeding condition like stomach ulcers, or take aspirin, nsaids, or blood thinners, or if you have kidney problems, especially if you take certain medicines. tell your doctor about all medicines you take, any planned medical or dental procedures, and don't stop taking pradaxa without your doctor's approval, as stopping may increase your stroke risk. other side effects include indigestion, stomach pain, upset, or burning. pradaxa is progress. having afib not caused by a heart valve problem

increases your risk of stroke. ask your doctor if you can reduce your risk with pradaxa. ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] you've been years in the making. and there are many years ahead. join the millions of members who've chosen an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. go long. they claim to be complete. only centrum goes beyond. providing more than just the essential nutrients, so i'm at my best. centrum. always your most complete. his morning starts with arthritis pain. and two pills. afternoon's overhaul starts with more pain. more pills.

triple checking hydraulics. the evening brings more pain. so, back to more pills. almost done, when... hang on. stan's doctor recommended aleve. it can keep pain away all day with fewer pills than tylenol. this is rudy. who switched to aleve. and two pills for a day free of pain. ♪ [ female announcer ] and try aleve for relief from tough headaches. >> in china today, angry protesters took to the streets over the issue of pollution. the demonstrators say they're angered by environmental threats from a water discharge plant on the eastern coast. just after today's protest, the government said it would drop plans for that waste water facility. it was four years ago that china hosted the summer olympics, but while the athletes have moved

on, left behind is the bird's nest, a spectacular stadium. barry petersen reports on what's happened there since. >> reporter: the last time around, all the world was a stage for china. to show off images of soaring skyscrapers after decades of economic growth. >> they want the the to hold the olympics because it was a shining example of what china had accomplished and the communist party had achieved. >> reporter: but it was also an effort to erase another image of the communist party, its 1989 bloody crackdown on pro democracy students. >> the last time people had really clued in to china was 1989, and i think 2008 was an attempt to create a new impression of a modern, first-world china. >> reporter: china spent about $40 billion on its olympics, more than any country before or since. in contrast, london is spending about $13 billion.

that money bought a lot of new, expensive buildings like the bird's nest. it wowed the world then, and it's barely used now. where jamaican sprinter usain bolt broke records, occasional tourists retrace his steps with segways rented at $20 for 15 minutes. segways rented at $20 for 15 minutes. the swiss designer of the nearly half a billion-dollar bird's nests. >> it's a disaster, and in terms of human rights, civil liberty, and ordinary people's feelings >> reporter: back then, it seemed like everyone was anxious to put on a good show. >> i love you! >> i love you. >> reporter: many learning english so they could greet foreign tourists, lessons cab drivers have long since forgot

know. >> do you speak english? >> reporter: since the olympics, china's red-hot economy has showed because of the world recession. jobs are harder to find. a property boom may be going bust. so four years later, people are more worried about an uncertain future than the memories of a feel-good past that are slowly fading away. barry petersen, cbs news, beijing. >> just ahead a feel-good moment in london as the queen steals the show at the olympic's opening ceremony. david. we've got to cancel. i've got gas.

ooh gas, take an antacid. oh, thanks. good luck. good luck to you. doesn't he know antacids won't help gas? oh, he knows. [ male announcer ] antacids don't relieve gas. gas-x is designed to relieve gas. gas-x. the gas xperts. the calcium they take because they don't take it with food. switch to citracal maximum plus d. it's the only calcium supplement that can be taken with or without food. that's why my doctor recommends citracal maximum.

it's all about absorption. mine was earned off vietnam in 1968. over the south pacific in 1943. i got mine in iraq, 2003. usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation. because it offers a superior level of protection, and because usaa's commitment to serve the military, veterans and their families is without equal. begin your legacy, get an auto insurance quote. usaa. we know what it means to serve. challenge that with new olay facial hair removal duo. a two-step process that removes even coarse, stubborn facial hair gently. plenty of gain, without all that pain... with olay. plenty of gain, now, there's gentle, dependable constipation reland mer me... and me. new dulcolax laxative tablets for women are comfort-coated... so they're gentle on sensitive stomachs. new dulcolax laxative for women

the overnight relief you're looking for. >> at the london olympics, american swimmer ryan lochte took the gold medal in today's 400 meter individual medley. michael phelps finished fourth. still, it was one particular performance at last night's opening ceremony that was getting all the buzz today. mark phillips has the replay. >> reporter: no queens were harmed during the making of this film. no queen's pets, either, but one queen's reputation for formality, at least in public, may have to be rethought. >> good evening, mr. bond. >> reporter: queen elizabeth, the real one, played a cameo role as herself in a james bond spoof during the opening ceremony. the sight gag even had a body double shooting down into the stadium. buckingham palace said the real queen was delighted to be asked

to take part. her subjects and visitors were delighted too. >> oh, my gosh. i felt that was so cool, like the way she just jumped out. was that real? >> it was cheeky but in a classy, royal way. >> reporter: the real queen entered the stadium the normal way and opened the games in the normal way, too. >> i keclaire open the games of london. >> reporter: but before that, the british had revealed themselves in an opening ceremony described as mad-cap, whimsicle, sometimes confusing, almost always entertaining. the chinese in beijing four years ago wanted to project the swagger of an economic powerhouse. in these non-swaggering times, the british substituted humor. rowan atkinson, mr. bean, played with the london philharmonic, dreaming himself into the beach running seen in the iconic olympic movie "chariots of fire." characters stepped out of history and off the covers of pop music albums.

britain may not export manufactured products like it once did-- >> everybody all together now! >> reporter: but it still exports culture. these games already had their first winners and their first big losers. bookmakers had taken in millions in bets on who would light the olympic flame. in the end, instead of one famous person, seven relatively unknown young athlete were chosen and the bookies had to give all the money back. mark phillips, cbs news, london. >> you never know. and that is the cbs evening news for tonight. i'm nancy cordes in new york. good night. captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org ,,,,,,,,